VFW Life member Yoselin Brice, 53, joined the Air Force in search of opportunity and life experiences.
“I wanted to get away from the hectic pace of New York City and my medical research job at Columbia University,” she said. “I was desperately looking for new adventures and to travel the world.”
Brice served for six years. After leaving the military in 2004, she spent more than 15 years working for the Department of Defense. Today, she lives in Bronxville, New York, and has two kids, Skyler and Connor. Brice’s late husband, Charles, also served and was a lieutenant commander in the Navy.
A self-described “military family advocate,” Brice became a VFW Accredited Service Officer in November 2024.
“This is an ideal job for me because I get to use my knowledge of the federal government, military experience and personal experience with the VA to help others navigate the complex web of applying for benefits,” Brice said. “Helping veterans is something I would gladly do for free. Getting paid to do so is a privilege and an honor.”
On a typical day, Brice meets with veterans or their family members who are seeking assistance with filing claims.
“My greatest accomplishment in this role is when I can call a veteran to tell them that a disability that has been afflicting them for years is indeed related to their military service and that the VA has approved their disability claim,” she said.
“My biggest challenge is not being able to secure dependent benefits or payments for military widows who are in financial distress. It’s heartbreaking.”
Brice explained that this is often because a late veteran did not understand they were entitled to dependent indemnity compensation, so they never filed a claim. She understands from experience how this can happen.
“Even as a veteran, for a long time, I didn’t know that service officers existed and that their assistance is free,” she said. “The first time I applied for health care and compensation was after I became one myself. Before then, I didn’t know I was eligible.
“The health care I’ve received has been life-changing. I can now get physical therapy that I could not afford previously and that has improved my quality of life. It’s gratifying to help other veterans manage their military-related disability claims using my knowledge and experience and to help improve their wellbeing by connecting them with the services they need and deserve.”
Learn more about the VFW's National Veterans Service (NVS) program.